The MSA is a thriving student community engaging the campus and the greater society through community service, outreach, and educational projects. Its diverse constituencies find an environment away from home in the MSA that stretches far beyond simply an "organization." It is a community, a space where Muslim students can feel comfortable growing and engaging their campus in a focused manner. As a cultural group, MSA adds a valuable voice to UCLA, one that speaks for its Muslim students, seeks to dispel harmful myths, and is committed to broadening horizons all around. As a community, MSA develops leaders who use their education as a tool with which to engage their peers and further empower themselves. As part of a whole, MSA strives to build bridges with other communities to maintain meaningful dialogues. Thus, the MSA is a cultural, social, political, and philanthropic vehicle that produces individuals who fulfill not only the vision of MSA, but ultimately the mission of USAC and the University as a whole. The MSA is capabable of achieving these results by establishing itself as an umbrella organization of five diverse projects; MAPS, AMP. UMMA, IYTP, and Al-Talib.
MSA's Educational and Cultural Value
The Muslim Students Association, in concert with the goals of USAC, endeavors to create programs that provide academic, social, and personal enrichment to all of its constituents. Our history of organizing dynamic and effective programs such as Islamic Awareness Week, various Teach-Ins on issues like affirmative action or the strife in Palestine, and screenings of independent documentaries show that MSA expenses are an investment with a high return. These edifying activities are a vital complement to the education received in the classroom, enhancing that education by stimulating dialogue and discussion. MSA seeks to be not just a theoretical forum, but to be action-oriented, to provide valuable and alternative perspectives on social and political problems, and to emphasize the link between education and action. The MSA also provides a safe prayer haven for students, whether active in the MSA or not, which the MSA office serves as one of its many purposes.